A Look Back: Techonomy and the Staples Youth Social Entrepreneur Competition
As we begin the new year, let's take a quick look back at some of our network's top events in 2011. Today, we’re focusing on the Techonomy conference—and on one especially promising conference attendee.
Techonomy 2011: The Intersection of Tech, Business, and Social Entrepreneurship
Techonomy 2011 was a prime example of how a focused event (there were just 250 attendees) can yield great insights and forge lasting relationships across fields. Techonomy represented the kind of thought leadership and network building that is at the core of Ashoka’s mission by bringing together leading experts and doers in technology, business, and social entrepreneurship.
As the Action Partner of the conference, Ashoka contributed speakers—including Ashoka founder and CEO Bill Drayton—and shared knowledge about successful social entrepreneurship with the business and tech community.
Talks from Drayton and other gifted speakers (including the founder of Techonomy, David Kirkpatrick, who spoke about creating 21st century leaders) are still available in the Techonomy video archives.
You can also read more on the Forbes Techonomy blog.
The Staples Youth Social Entrepreneur Winner
Techonomy was also attended by 19-year-old whiz kid Eden Full, whose achievement as the winner of the Staples Youth Social Entrepreneur Competition was a highlight of the year for Ashoka’s Youth Venture.
As well as an invitation to attend Techonomy, Full won an “Around the World Learning Tour” — an opportunity to travel the globe and meet other young social entrepreneurs, Ashoka Fellows, and Staples associates to further develop her venture’s impact.
The Staples competition was created to discover solutions from youth-led organizations that are using innovation and technology to address social issues that affect their communities. Full won for her company’s technology, the SunSaluter, which is a cost-effective solar panel rotator that increases the efficiency of solar panels. The panels currently provide solar power to two villages in Kenya, helping to improve the lives of more than 1,000 residents.
Full aims to bring alternative energy and electricity to more developing countries, including Tanzania, Uganda, western China, and others in the coming years now that she has gained the recognition of Staples and others. To learn more, see Full’s entry in the Changemakers competition.
What an exciting 2011—and 2012 looks very promising!
